Esther 9:25

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But when the matter came before the king, he ordered by letter that the wicked scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּבְבֹאָהּ֮ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ אָמַ֣ר עִם־הַסֵּ֔פֶר יָשׁ֞וּב מַחֲשַׁבְתּ֧וֹ הָרָעָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־חָשַׁ֥ב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְתָל֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו עַל־הָעֵֽץ

Transliteration

And in-ḇᵉḇôʾāh before the-melek ʾāmar with-the-sēper yāšûḇ maḥăšaḇtô the-rāʿâ which-ḥāšaḇ against-the-yehûdîm upon-rōʾšô and tālû ʾōtô and ʾet-sons-his upon-the-ʿēṣ

Grammar Details

• *ḇᵉḇôʾāh*: Qal infinitive construct with 3rd person feminine singular suffix - in her coming
• *melek*: noun, masculine singular - king
• *ʾāmar*: Qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he said
• *sēper*: noun, masculine singular - letter/document
• *yāšûḇ*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - shall return
• *maḥăšaḇtô*: noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his thought/plan
• *rāʿâ*: adjective, feminine singular - evil/bad
• *ḥāšaḇ*: Qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he devised/planned
• *yehûdîm*: noun, masculine plural - Jews
• *rōʾšô*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his head
• *tālû*: Qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they hanged
• *ʾōtô*: direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - him
• *ʿēṣ*: noun, masculine singular - tree/wood/gallows

Word Meanings

• *ḇᵉḇôʾāh*: when she came/on her coming/as she entered
• *ʾāmar*: said/commanded/declared
• *sēper*: letter/document/scroll/book
• *yāšûḇ*: return/turn back/revert
• *maḥăšaḇtô*: his thought/plan/scheme/device
• *rāʿâ*: evil/wicked/harmful
• *ḥāšaḇ*: planned/devised/schemed/thought
• *rōʾšô*: his head/top/chief
• *tālû*: hanged/suspended/impaled
• *ʿēṣ*: tree/wood/gallows/timber

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But when ther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  but when [the matter] came{H935} before{H6440} the king,{H4428} he commanded{H559} by letters{H5612} that his wicked{H7451} device,{H4284} which he had devised{H2803} against the Jews,{H3064} should return{H7725} upon his own head,{H7218} and that he and his sons{H1121} should be hanged{H8518} on the gallows.{H6086}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But when Esther came{H935}{(H8800)} before{H6440} the king{H4428}, he commanded{H559}{(H8804)} by letters{H5612} that his wicked{H7451} device{H4284}, which he devised{H2803}{(H8804)} against the Jews{H3064}, should return{H7725}{(H8799)} upon his own head{H7218}, and that he and his sons{H1121} should be hanged{H8518}{(H8804)} on the gallows{H6086}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and how Hester wente and spake to the kynge, that thorow letters his wicked deuyce (which he ymagyned agaynst the Iewes) might be turned vpon his awne heade, and how he and his sonnes were hanged on the tre.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And when she came before the King, he commanded by letters, Let this wicked deuise (which he imagined against the Iewes) turne vpon his owne head, and let them hang him and his sonnes on the tree.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But when Esther came before the king, he commaunded by letters that his wicked deuice which he imagined against the Iewes, should be turned vpon his owne head, and that he and his sonnes should be hanged on the tree.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But when [Esther] came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  but when [the matter] came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and in her coming in before the king, he said with the letter, `Let his evil device that he devised against the Jews turn back upon his own head,' and they have hanged him and his sons on the tree,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but when `the matter' came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but when [the matter] came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But when the business was put before the king, he gave orders by letters that the evil design which he had made against the Jews was to be turned against himself; and that he and his sons were to be put to death by hanging.

• World English Bible (2000)

  but when this became known to the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king gave written orders that Haman’s evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 7:16 : 16 They dig a pit and hollow it out, only to fall into the hole they have made.
• Ps 109:17-18 : 17 He loved to curse—may it come back to him; he took no delight in blessing—may it be far from him. 18 He clothed himself with cursing as with his garment; it seeped into his body like water, into his bones like oil.
• Ps 140:9 : 9 Do not grant the desires of the wicked, O LORD; do not let their plans succeed, lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
• Ps 141:10 : 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.
• Matt 21:44 : 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will crush him to powder.
• Esth 7:5-8:14 : 5 King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is the one who has dared to do this?" 6 Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman." Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king, filled with wrath, got up from the wine banquet and went out to the palace garden. But Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he saw that the king had already decided his doom. 8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the house of the wine banquet, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. The king exclaimed, "Will he even assault the queen in my own house?" As the words left the king’s mouth, Haman’s face was covered. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "Look! The gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the king’s benefit, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits tall." The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided. 1 On that day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the king’s presence because Esther had revealed how he was related to her. 2 The king removed his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over Haman’s estate. 3 Esther spoke again to the king, falling at his feet, weeping, and pleading with him to nullify the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the scheme he had devised against the Jews. 4 The king extended the golden scepter to Esther, so she arose and stood before the king. 5 She said, 'If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the matter seems right to the king, and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let a decree be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.' 6 For how can I bear to see the disaster that will fall on my people? How can I endure the destruction of my kindred? 7 King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, 'Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews.' 8 Now you may write in the king’s name concerning the Jews as you see fit and seal it with the king’s signet ring. For a document written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked. 9 The king’s scribes were summoned on that day, the third month (the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day, and an edict was written exactly as Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps, governors, and officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush, each province in its own script and language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent the letters by mounted couriers riding fast horses bred from royal mares. 11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions. 12 This was to take place on a single day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the written decree was to be issued as law in every province, publicly proclaimed to all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers riding the royal horses raced out in haste, pressed on by the king's command. The decree was also issued in the citadel of Susa.
• Esth 9:13-14 : 13 Esther replied, "If it pleases the king, let the Jews in Susa be allowed to act again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows." 14 So the king commanded that it be done. A decree was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.